Safety belt buckle



Dec. 23, 1952 O. R. wl-:RMLINGER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE v Filed Sept. 12,1950 IN VEN TOR. l 0x44? hle/uz M/ Patented Dec. V23, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE Oscar-R. Wermlin'ger, Westwood, N.'J.,assignor toy'Associates Incorporated, Teterboro, N. J., fa lcorporation 'of NewJersey Application 'September 12, 1950, Serial No. 184,449

` Claims.

l This invention vrelates to ysafety belt buckles for securing the`occupants in the seats of aircraft, speed lboats and the like and theinvention :has particular reference to :a safety -belt buckle which issecure against accidental or unintentional uncoupling thereof .and whichis adapted for quick release.

Another :object .of 'the invention .is to provide asafety belt bucklewhich will'withstand a lmaximum `pull without subjecting the belt to"icutting action.

.Still fanother object of the invention is to provide asafety :beltIbuckle which is constructed to receive the free `end .of a beltvbetween the icoacting faces of clamping and abutment members with theplane of the face of the abutment member being located in angularrelation to the pull on the belt.

Still .another object of the invention is to provide a safety beltbuckle in which means are provided for preventing incorrect threading ofthe free of the belt between the co-acting faces of the clamping andabutment members.

Still another object `of the invention is to provide a safety beltbuckle .in whichthe clamping member has limited tur-ning movement and isdisposed in outwardly projecting relation when in released condition.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made tothe following specification and accompanying drawings in which thepreferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a safety belt buckle constructed inaccordance with the invention and showing fragmentary portions of theends of a safety belt.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken approximately online 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken approximately on linevll--ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through the cross-member of theframe showing the abutment provided with a series of parallel ridgesforming a gripping face.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the clamping member showingthe arcuate arrangement of the teeth which forms the other grippingface.

Referring to the drawings by characters of 'reference, the safety beltbuckle includes a frame indicated generally by the reference characterA| il having spaced side walls and I2 `which are connected together by atransversely extending cross-bar |3 .located adjacent \one end lof theframe and by a lcross-member .14 located adjacent the opposite `end ofthe frame and which 'cross-bar and cross-member are formed 'with theirbottom faces I5 and 'I6 located iin a .plane coincident with the bottomedges ill of the side walls and |2. Also connecting between the sideWalls yand |'2 is a transversely extending upwardly direct intermediatewall 2t which is of irregular -formation and has its Ilower end locatedbetween the ycross-bar I3 and the crossmember .Hl providing transverselyextending openings 2| and 22 .between the same and said cross-'bar andcross-member respectively.

The cross-member lll is formed with lan upstanding abutment 23 having aninclined forward face 24 and :an arcuate forward .face 25, the inclinedforward face -24 being disposed in a plane .located at an -acute anglewith the hottom face 'I6 thereof Aand -the -forward arcuate rface 25being formed as a continuation of the inclined forward face 24 and thebottom face 16. The inclined forward face 24 is formed with a series oftransversely extending parallel ridges 26 which are defined bytransversely extending vertical faces 21, transversely extending crests2B at their upper ends and transversely extending arcuate recesses attheir lower ends, the transversely extending crests being .located inthe plane of the inclined forward .face l22| arid the arcuate recesses29 merging with the crests 28 of the adjacent lower ridges respectively.

A clamping member 3| is also provided which is mounted for pivotalswinging movement on a cross-shaft 32 extending through a bore 33 inthecylindrical shaped end 30 thereof with the ends of the lcross-shaftmounted in openings 3d and 35 in the side w-alls and I2 respectively.Arranged on the cross-shaft 32 is a torsion spring 3E having itsterminal ends 3l 4and 32 secured in slots 3S and i respectively formedin the headed end of the cross-shaft 32 and in the bore 33, which spring'tensions the clamping member 3| `for turning movement in the directionof the arrow shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The clamping member isalso formed with a plurality of transversely extending teeth 4| formedon the -cylindr-ical shaped `end v39 thereof with the teeth'disposed toproject toward the ridges 2S in the inclined forward face 24 'of theabutment V23 when the clamping member 3| is in clamping position, thatis with the handle 42 in the full line position shown in Figs. 2 and l3of the drawings.

The torsion spring 36 tensions the clamping r member to normallymaintain the 'same with the teeth 4I in adjacent relation to the ridges26 and for this purpose the cross-shaft 32 is secured against turningmovement by the hexagonal shaped head 44 thereof fittingly engaging inthe hexagonal shaped opening 35 in the side wall |2 of the frame andwith the opposite end of the cross-shaft protruding through the circularopening 34 and secured in position by the pin 45.

The safety belt buckle is axed to the end A of a safety belt B which endis trained downwardly through the opening 2| and looped about thecross-bar |3 with the end A extending over and secured to the body ofthe belt B. The opposite free end C of the belt B is trained upwardlythrough the opening 22 and over the inclined forward face 24 of theabutment 23 and between the abutment and the cylindrical shaped end 30of the clamping member 3| and thence over the upper end of the abutmentmember. This provides means by which the free end C of the belt B may bereleasably connected with the buckle and the belt may be tightened asdesired against accidental or unintentional uncoupling thereof bypulling the free end C upwardly over the inclined forward face 24 of theabutment member and swinging the clamping member 3| from the broken lineposition shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings to the full line position showntherein. In this position the belt is securely held between the ridges26 of the abutment member 23 and the teeth 4| of the clamping member andit will be understood that the greater the tension on the belt B, thegreater will be the tension against the teeth 4| to retain the clampingmember 3| in clamping position. It will also be understood that theportion of the free end C of the belt between the ridges 26 and theteeth 4| is located in a plane disposed at an acute angle to the planedefined by the bottom face |6 of the cross-member |4. The pull of thebelt B against the buckle is therefore transmitted about the curvedportion of the belt engaging the forward arcuate face 25 of the abutmentand on the portion of the belt engaged by the ridges 26 and teeth 4| inangular relation to the direct pull on the belt whereby the pull on theportion of the belt engaged by said ridges and teeth is only the angularcomponent of the direct pull on the belt. This functions to reduce thecutting action of the teeth and ridges against the belt and lprovides amore secure gripping engagement against the belt and eliminates thepossibility of accidental or unintentional loosening or release of thebelt.

The intermediate wall 20 extends upwardly to one side of the cylindricalshaped end 30 of the clamping member 3| so as to form a stop to limitthe swinging movement thereof and to maintain the handle 42 in outwardlyprojecting position when in released condition. The said wall is alsoformed with a transversely extending recess 46 which is so located thatthe terminal of the free end C of the belt will engage in said recess 46in the event that the free end C of the belt is incorrectly threadeddownwardly between the inclined forward face 24 of the abutment 23 andcylindrical shaped end 36 of the clamping member. This prevents thepositioning of the free end C of the belt incorrectly between theabutment member 23 and the clamping member 3|.

The clamping action on the end C of the belt is effected by downwardswinging movement of the clamping member 3| to rotate the same in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 of `the drawings. This producesan impingement of the '4 teeth 4I against the end of the belt since theteeth are formed on a cam face 4l which is defined by an arc having acenter at 48 and which center is located above and to one side of thecenter of the shaft 32 as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. By thisconstruction, the lowermost tooth is closest to the center of said shaftand the teeth above the lowermost tooth progressively increase indistance from the center of the shaft. The impinging action thereforeincreases as the handle is swung downwardly.

In the embodiment illustrated, the inclined forward face 24 of thecross-member I4 is disposed atan angle of 55" with the bottom face I6thereof. It is to be understood however, that the inclined face 24 maybe disposed in any angle with the bottom face I6 so as to direct the endof the belt around the curved forward face of the crossmember and overthe upper face thereof. The tension on the belt between the coactingclamping faces of the cross-member and clamping member is thus only acomponent part of the direct pull on the belt beneath the cross-member.This lessening of the tension on the belt between the said coactingfaces provides agreaer Safety factor in the safety belt and lessens thetendency of the belt to tear at the area of engagement between the saidcoacting clamping faces.

The Vinvention is illustrated in its application to the preferredembodiment thereof, but it is to be understood that the same is toVcover all changes and modifications of the example of the inventionherein chosen for the purpose of disclosure, which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A buckle for a safety belt comprising a frame having spaced sidewalls connected together by transversely extending cross-bar andcross-member located adjacent the opposite ends of the framerespectively, said cross-bar being adapted to having one end of the beltaffixed thereto, said cross-member having a rounded inner endterminating in an upstanding abutment provided with a serrated facedisposed in a plane located above and at an acute angle with the underside of said cross-member, a clamping member having an enlarged end anda handle aiixed thereto, a cross shaft extending through the enlargedend of said clamping member pivoting the said clamping member forswinging movement between said side walls, said clamping member having aserrated portion on the periphery of the enlarged end thereof disposedin confronting relation with the serrated portion on said abutment whenthe clamping member is in clamping position, and said clamping memberbeing disposed in spaced relation from said abutment to permit of thefree end of the belt extending therebetween and in overlying relationwith the serrated portion on said abutment for securing the 'freeend ofthe belt between the said abutment and the clamping member when theclamping member is disposed in clamping position. Y Y

2. A buckle for a safety belt comprising a frame having spaced sidewalls connected together by transversely extending cross-bar andcross-member located adjacent the opposite ends of the framerespectively, said cross-bar being adapted to having one end of the beltamxed thereto, said cross-member having a rounded inner end terminatingin an upstanding abutment provided with a serrated face disposed in aplane located aboveand at an angle with the under side of saidvcross-member, a clamping member having an enf larged end and a handleaffixed thereto, a cross shaft extending through the enlarged end ofsaid clamping member pivoting the said clamping member for swingingmovement between said side walls, said clamping member having a serratedportion on the periphery of the enlarged end thereof disposed inconfronting relation with the serrated portion on said abutment when theclamping member is in clamping position, a coil spring engaging aboutsaid cross shaft tensioning said clamping member for movement towardclamping position, and said clamping member being disposed in spacedrelation from said abutment to permit of the free end of the beltextending upwardly therebetween and in overlying relation with theserrated portion on said abutment for securing the free end of the beltbetween the said abutment and the clamping member when the clampingmember is disposed in clamping position.

3. A buckle for a safety belt comprising a frame having spaced sidewalls connected together by transversely extending cross-bar andcross-member located adjacent the opposite side of the framerespectively, said cross-bar being adapted to having one end of the beltaflixed thereto, said cross-member having a rounded inner endterminating in an upstanding abutment provided with a serrated facedisposed in a plane located above and at an angle with the under side ofsaid cross-member, a clamping member having an enlarged end and a handleaffixed thereto, a cross shaft extending through the enlarged end ofsaid clamping member pivoting the said clamping member for swingingmovement between said side walls, said clamping member having a serratedportion on the periphery of the enlarged end thereof disposed inconfronting relation with the serrated portion on said abutment when theclamping member is in clamping position, and said clamping member beingdisposed in spaced relation from said abutment to permit of the free endof the belt extending therebetween and in overlying relation with theserrated portion on said abutment for securing the free end of the beltbetween the said abutment and the clamping member when the clampingmember is disposed in clamping position.

4. A buckle for a safety belt comprising a frame having spaced sidewalls connected together by transversely extending cross-bar andcross-member located adjacent the opposite side of the framerespectively, said cross-bar being adapted to having one end of the beltaffixed thereto, said cross-member having a rounded inner endterminating in an upstanding abutment provided with a serrated facedisposed in a plane located above and at an angle with the under side ofsaid cross-member, a clamping member having an enlarged end and a handleaflixed thereto, a cross shaft extendnig through the enlarged end ofsaid clamping member pivoting the said clamping member for swingingmovement between said side walls, said clamping member having a serratedportion on the periphery of the enlarged end thereof disposed inconfronting relation with the serrated portion on said abutment when theclamping member is in clamping position, and said clamping member beingdisposed in spaced relation from said abutment to permit of the free endof the belt extending therebetween and in overlying relation with theserrated portion on said abutment for securing the free end of the beltbetween the said abutment and the clamping member when the clampingmember is disposed in clamping position, and an intermediate partitionsecured between said side walls and having a transversely extendingrecess disposed substantially in alignment with the space between theclamping member and the abutment for engagement by the terminal of thefree end of the belt to prevent incorrect downward threading of the freeend between the abutment and the clamping member and permitting ofcorrect threading of the free end upwardly between said abutment andclamping member.

5. A buckle for a safety belt including a frame having side walls and across-member connected therebetween about which one end of the belt istrained, said cross-member including a rounded inner end terminating inan upstanding abutment provided with a serrated face extending at anacute angle to the direction of pull on the portion of the belt disposedagainst the under side of said cross member, a clamping member pivotedfor swinging movement between said side walls and having a handle and aserrated portion disposed in confronting relation with the serrated faceof said cross-member when the clamping member is in clamping position,and said clamping member being disposed with the serrated portionthereof disposed in spaced relation from said abutment to permit of saidend of the belt extending upwardly therebetween for securing said end ofthe belt between said abutment and the clamping member when the clampingmember is disposed in clamping position.

OSCAR R. WERMLINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 913,469 Cleaveland Feb. 23, 19091,257,028 Ryther Feb. 19, 1918 2,442,266 Davis May 25, 1948 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 97,645 Germany June 9, 1898

